BAHRAIN’S Winfred Mutile Yavi showed why she is a rising star in global athletics last night after winning the bronze medal in the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase final at the IAAF World U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland.
Having won her qualifying heat, Winfred was tagged as one of the leading contenders heading into the highly competitive medal round, and she lived up to the expectations by claiming a spot on the podium.
Winfred completed the race in a time of nine minutes 23.47 seconds, dropping a couple of places only in the final stages after leading with a slow pace as the 15-runner field approached only four laps to go.
But in the final kilometre, Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol stepped on the gas and clinched the gold medal virtually unbothered in a championship record time of 9:12.78.
Peruth Chemutai of Uganda came away with the silver medal in 9:18.87.
Winfred followed in third, while the rest of the field was way back.
Mercy Chepkurui of Kenya was fourth in 9:43.65, while Ethiopians Agrie Belachew and Ethlemahu Sintayehu were fifth and sixth, respectively, with Agrie finishing in 9:44.79 and Ethlemahu in 9:50.96.
Alice Hill of the US and Lisa Oed of Germany rounded out the top eight.
Winfred’s finishing mark was far from her personal best of 9:12.74, which she set earlier this year in Paris. She had qualified for last night’s final with a 9:52.23 mark after placing first in her opening round heat earlier in the week.
Winfred’s bronze medal was the first accolade of Bahrain at this year’s U20 worlds. She is one of three Bahraini athletes competing in Tampere. Bahrain’s Musa Isah had already bowed out of further title contention in the men’s 400m while countryman Marawan Medany will be in action today in the qualification round of the men’s discus throw (1.750kg).